NZ’s ‘baby bishops’ attend bishops’ school in Rome

Monday, September 23rd, 2024

Two New Zealand bishops, Richard Laurenson and John Adams, have been attending the Baby Bishops course in Rome, a formation programme for newly ordained bishops.

The event ran from 15 to 22 September and gathered 267 baby bishops worldwide for training, reflection and dialogue on their roles within the Church.

Building global connections

The Baby Bishops course also offers newly appointed bishops a chance to connect with Church leaders from around the globe. The New Zealand bishops reported they also took the opportunity to meet Australia’s newest bishop and the head of Opus Dei.

The week includes joint working sessions, promoting collaboration between bishops from the Dicastery for Evangelisation and the Dicastery for Bishops.

Focussing on key Church issues

The course includes a wide range of topics, from peace and conflict resolution to fostering family life. Dr Linda Ghisoni and Dr Gabriella Gambino, both undersecretaries for the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, spoke about the importance of nurturing marriage within the Church.

They also highlighted the rise of new communities within the faith.

In a session on peace and conflict, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ led a reflection on Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti,” which calls for global unity and the healing of divisions. The bishops were urged to consider their role in contributing to reconciliation and peace within their communities.

Fides reports that topics included –

The Holy See “in the globalised world”
The apostolate of the laity
Living the Episcopal Mission in a Synodal Church

Audience with Pope Francis

As part of the week’s activities, bishops attending the Dicastery for Bishops’ course met Pope Francis on 19 September, while those from the Dicastery for Evangelisation had an audience on 21 September.

The study seminars, which began in 1994 for bishops in missionary areas, provide new bishops in mission territories with essential insights into their offices through lectures, prayer and dialogue. They also foster collegiality and mutual understanding among bishops from diverse cultural backgrounds.